


Not quite fat

by bottledyarn



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-09
Updated: 2012-08-09
Packaged: 2017-11-19 13:32:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/573808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bottledyarn/pseuds/bottledyarn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn thinks he's fat, Harry reprimands him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not quite fat

**Author's Note:**

> Originally by request on my tumblr.

         Harry couldn’t quite figure out exactly Zayn was doing- he was standing in front of the mirror in the large hotel suite the band was staying in, and he had his shirt pulled up his torso slightly, exposing his flat, tan stomach. He was pinching the skin near his hipbone tightly, making the color of the skin lighten from the pressure at his fingertips.

            Harry watched Zayn for a moment, noting the serious frown on his face, the way he was biting his lip hard enough to leave a small dent once he stopped. 

            “Zayn?” Harry said, stepping over slightly so that his reflection appeared in the mirror. “What are you doing?”

            Zayn let his shirt fall back and he turned, letting the grim expression leave his face to be replaced by a smile.

            “Nothing,” Zayn said brightly. “Do we have any press stuff today?”

            “No,” Harry said, walking towards Zayn. “Why were you pinching your stomach?”

            Zayn fiddled with his hands absently, shrugging. “I dunno.”

            Harry frowned. “Whatever, that was weird.”

            He left the hotel room again, managing to reach the small café in the hotel without running into anyone.

            The other boys were all off doing stuff individually, and they finally met back together for dinner.  They crammed into a 4-person booth at a dim restaurant, and all ordered fairly similar things.

            Harry usually spaced out of the conversations when they ate, focusing on his own meal rather than the light talking- but he found himself staring at Zayn’s hands instead. He ate thoughtlessly as he watched Zayn from across the table.  He was fiddling with his food, ripping apart a burger and spreading the pieces around the plate. 

            Zayn starting burying a bit of the burger under a pile of fries when he realized he was being watched. He lifted his head and met Harry’s concerned eyes, his own eyes wide.

            Harry frowned at him, gesturing at the plate.

            Zayn smiled weakly and ate a tiny piece of his burger before suddenly jumping into the other boys’ conversation.

            Harry didn’t mention it until that night, when he and Zayn were left being the only ones awake in the large living room of the suite.

            “Why didn’t you eat anything at dinner?”

            Zayn looked up, his face slightly alarmed. “I did!”

            “You hate maybe a sixteenth of your burger and a water,” Harry retorted. “Are you sick?”

            “I guess I’ve been feeling a little off lately,” Zayn said, nodding. “That’s all.”

            “You’re not…purposely not eating, are you?” Harry asked uncomfortably.

            Zayn’s face paled obviously, and Harry’s stomach dropped, immediately seeing the truth on his face. “No,” Zayn said, contradicting what was obvious on his face. He laughed. “That would be silly.”

            “Zayn.”

            Zayn dropped his bright smile, casting his gaze to the floor and licking his lips nervously. “What?”

            “Why would you do that to yourself?” Harry asked.  “That’s crazy.”

            “Yeah, okay, I’m crazy!” Zayn said, standing up. “Fine! It’s revealed, Zayn Malik is a fucking lunatic! Just leave me alone!”  
            Harry drew back slightly. “Zayn-”

            “Don’t use that stupid hurt voice, I’m done! You don’t have to pretend to like me, I wouldn’t like me if I were you! I don’t like me, why would you? Just-” Zayn huffed. “Just leave me alone.”

            “Zayn,” Harry said sternly, standing up. “I just don’t understand why you would do this.”

            “I’m disgusting,” Zayn said, swallowing dryly. “The entire world is watching us, and in every press photo, I’m the one that blatantly doesn’t belong. You’re all skinny, perfect guys, and then I’m- this.”

            Harry shook his head. “You have to be joking.”

            Zayn turned away. “Just stop. Drop it.”

            “You’re being ridiculous! Out of all of us, you’re the one who’s blatantly the most perfect, not the least perfect!” Harry grabbed Zayn’s shoulder, turning him back around. “You’re beautiful.”

            “Stop,” Zayn said, throwing off Harry’s arm. “I’m going to sleep.”

            “Zayn,” Harry said.  “You have to promise to stop, there’s no reason to be doing this to yourself.”

            Harry traced Zayn’s cheek lightly, frowning. “Why can’t you see it?”

            Zayn sighed, leaning into Harry slightly. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess.”

            “You’re not a mess,” Harry said, letting his hand fall to Zayn’s neck. “You’re the best thing in the entire world.”

            “As if,” Zayn muttered, prompting Harry to pull him closer, hugging him.

            “Stop being so mean to yourself,” Harry said, his voice muffled by Zayn’s shoulder. “For me.”

            Zayn let himself sink into the embrace, the scent of Harry’s various hair products, sprays, and natural smell overwhelming him.

            “Hey, guys,” Liam said suddenly, walking through the living room unaware. “Having a little huggy pow-wow?”

            Harry let go, glancing at Zayn and nodding slightly, as if to reassert his statements.

            “Yeah,” Harry said, following Liam into the kitchenette. “Do we have any Pepsi?”

            Zayn stood silently in the living room, listening the Liam and Harry talk lightly in the other room. He finally entered the kitchen as well, taking out a random, abandoned yogurt from the fridge and eating it, relenting to his hunger.

            Harry smiled at him over his drink, the look going unnoticed by Liam.

            “We just ate!” Liam exclaimed. “How are you still hungry?”

            Zayn winced slightly, lowering the half-eaten food slightly.

            “He didn’t like his burger, so he didn’t eat hardly anything,” Harry said, leaning against the counter opposite Zayn, letting their feet almost touch.

            “Aw, that sucks, my food was so good,” Liam said. “Oh, shoot, does this have caffeine?”

            Liam wandered off again, reading the ingredients of his drink seriously.

            “Finish that,” Harry said, pointing at the yogurt. “I’m going to bed.”

            Zayn watched him go and finished his food, having to choke down the remaining spoonfuls.  He went to bed himself, not wanting to leave himself awake, where he could make an impromptu trip to the hotel gym or anything.  He lay in bed for a long time, trying to fall asleep.

            Harry entered Zayn’s room quietly at almost one in the morning, finding the boy still awake.  
            “What are you doing?” Zayn asked, sitting up.

            “I couldn’t sleep,” Harry said, falling into Zayn’s bed.  “Do you mind?”

            “No,” Zayn said, lying back down. “Why can’t you sleep?”

            “My mind is haunted with visions of your sexy visage.”

            “That’s a line if I ever heard one,” Zayn said, rolling to face Harry. “You’re ridiculous.”

            Harry smiled slightly, closing his eyes. “Go to sleep, beautiful.”


End file.
